After a lot of scrimping and saving, you’ve finally started building up some retirement savings in the form of a 401(k) or IRA. If you’re lucky, you may even have an emergency fund set aside in a savings account. But your financial situation could quickly change, whether as a result of a layoff, a medical [...]
Your home is one of your most interesting assets when it comes to income taxes. It’s easy to avoid paying taxes on most (or all) of the profits once you’ve sold it, and you can even turn home ownership into a tax-free source of income. When you sell your home, you can exclude a big [...]
Collisions aren’t the only way your car can be irreparably damaged. A fallen tree, a major flood, or a fumbled theft could quickly end your car’s days on the road. More than 5 million vehicles are totaled by these and other causes every year, according to the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA). But the word [...]
Can money buy happiness? That’s an age-old question, and one that I think that everyone asks themselves at some point. Most people wonder if all of their hard work will pay off and give them the financial freedom and happiness they seek. In short, the answer is yes—and it can be purchased for a lot [...]
Hurricane season began on June 1, so it’s time to make sure you and your property are covered by a good insurance policy. According to Ron Sachs, executive producer of the National Hurricane Survival Initiative, experts are predicting 2014 will be a modest year for hurricanes—but that’s no reason to be lulled into a false sense [...]
Summer means backyard barbeques, water sports, and, for many people, fireworks. Whether it’s a Memorial Day, Fourth of July, or Labor Day celebration, or simply a fun (yet dangerous) way to spend an evening, the sound of fireworks is common on summer nights. Before you start planning your own celebration that will include fireworks, review [...]
On this week's radio show, Ilyce discussed the economy, real estate investing mistakes and starting an innovative business. Lindsey Piegza, Chief Economist, Sterne Agee Lindsey is the Chief Economist for Sterne Agee, specializing in the research and analysis of economic trends and activity, world economies, financial markets and fiscal policies. Prior to her role with Sterne [...]
Think it’s expensive to own a car? It’s a lot worse if you’re in Wyoming. Wyoming was recently named the most expensive place to drive a car, according to Bankrate.com. A typical driver in the Cowboy State spends $2,705 a year to operate a vehicle, about $500 more than the national average of $2,223. Meanwhile, [...]
If you’ve found yourself in financial difficulty, you may be considering bankruptcy, which allows you to settle with your creditors in court. In a bankruptcy, you may be able reorganize your debts to make your payments more manageable—or even eliminate your debts completely. While a bankruptcy can help you get rid of your debt in [...]
Older members of Generation Y (people born between the 1980s and the year 2000), also known as Millennials, are starting to face some big life events. They’re getting married, purchasing their first homes, and having their first kids. The big life moments should trigger insurance decisions, but many Gen-Yers are less than thrilled to make [...]
